Washington Times: Small Office Has Big Job as Monitor of Ethics in the House

To many Washington outsiders, congressional ethics is an oxymoron or fodder for late-night comedians, but watchdogs and longtime Washington observers point to one hopeful sign — an office they believe is helping members take ethics rules more seriously. With a budget of just $1.5 million and a staff of nine, the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), an independent ethics board made up mostly of former members of Congress , has been quietly and consistently challenging the ethics status quo in the House of Representatives since its creation four years ago. [READ MORE]